Gilenya

In October 2010 I first learned that Gilenya had been approved by the FDA. The first oral treatment for Multiple Sclerosis! So exciting – but I didn’t dare to really believe that I would be switched to it. I knew that insurance would never cover it as long as I was able to use interferon instead, and I had been using Rebif for awhile.

The following February I learned just how high my liver enzymes had gotten (7x the cutoff for normal across the board). My neurologist finally acknowledged that I had to stop taking the injections. It was shocking how freeing this was – the needles had always felt remarkably painful. Knowing that I didn’t have to take my shot when I went home made me want to celebrate. While the circumstances were less than ideal, I took the opportunity to switch from interferon to Gilenya.

I will continue to add new Gilenya-related content to the list below as I learn more about Gilenya, its side effects, and its results. In the meantime, join us on Facebook and on the forums for discussion!